Mother of Ernie Davis Dies

Story Published: May 9, 2008 at 6:19 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 9, 2008 at 6:19 PM EDT

ELMIRA, N.Y. (AP) - The mother of former Syracuse University
tailback Ernie Davis, the first black to win the Heisman Trophy,
has died.
Marie Fleming, who saw her only son meet the president of the
United States and win college football's greatest individual award,
died Tuesday in Elmira after taking a fall. She was 89.
Davis won the Heisman in 1961, two years after leading the
Orange to their only national championship. He died of leukemia in
1963 after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns.
A statue of Davis is scheduled to be placed on the Syracuse
campus this fall and a major film about his life, "The Express,"
is due to be released in October.

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